Control
by jojospn
Summary: SPOILERS for 11x14, "The Vessel." Lucifer may be in control, but Cas is very much awake. Takes place when Cas finally regains control, and the events following Dean's rescue.
**A/N: I don't own** _ **Supernatural,**_ **just playing in the sandbox. Spoilers for 11x14, "The Vessel".**

 **Control**

He can feel him, clawing inside, desperate to regain control. Kneeling before Sam, Cas sees the pain in his friend's eyes, the hurt, the fear for his safety, and for a moment regrets his decision to be Lucifer's vessel. The one confused "you chose this?" hurts more than any physical harm the angel has ever endured. Almost as much as the look of betrayal in Dean's eyes when he had teamed up with Crowley years earlier; as the months of being Naomi's puppet and his orders to kill Dean. Though always with the best of intentions, each of Castiel's attempts at helping had proven to be failures. Why was this no different? Clearly Sam must have been thinking the very same. He wants to fight it, more than anything wants to expel Lucifer before more harm can be done. But he can't. Not when he knows what the Darkness is capable of. The apocalypse on steroids, Dean would probably say.

It is taking all of his self-control to keep the devil at bay, and he knows that he does not have much time left before the veil is dropped again. For all Cas knows, this is the last time he will ever speak to Sam again. It's now or never.

"Reject him! Now!"

Castiel winces at another attempt from Lucifer to seize control, focusing on the sound of Sam's voice in hopes of keeping the devil at bay. "I can't!" he hears himself answer. "It's taking all my strength to keep him from killing you. Besides, we need him." As expected, Sam protests, but Cas is adamant. "We need him to save Dean."

And suddenly, Sam understands. In his condition, there would be no angel ex machina to save the day. Without Lucifer's help, Dean would remain on the doomed vessel, going down with the crew. And while the cretin possessing him would laugh with glee at the sight of seeing Dean Winchester dead, the thought of his best friend's death is enough to make Castiel nearly vomit. Nodding, as if granting his approval, Sam backs away, and the angel relaxes.

XXX

Lucifer smiles, satisfied that Castiel is once more trapped. He had removed the gag not to save Dean Winchester of course; the Hand of God is his prize, and Cas's beloved boyfriend was the key. Of course, now that he holds the precious artifact in his grasp, both Winchesters would be expendable. He can hear the angel murmur, "I'm sorry, Dean," when Sam reveals that their beloved trench coat wearing BFF with wings is not their friend, and his cries of horror when, with a flick of the wrist, Dean is flung first across against the room, and finally pinned to the bunker's concrete wall. It's quite entertaining, in fact, listening to his weak brother's pathetic attempts at regaining control. _Starting to regret jumping on the Lucifer Express, huh Cas?_ he tells the angel as he picks up the Hand of God, carefully wrapped in cloth.. _You will regret this, Lucifer. We had a deal. You will defeat the Darkness and you leave the Winchesters alone._

 _Tsk tsk. You really ARE stupid, Castiel, if you honestly believed I would let Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum live through this._ As if to prove his point, Lucifer shifts his attention back to the boys of the hour. "Why the faces, boys? You should be cheering. We have a common enemy. With this," raising the precious artifact for emphasis, "she will be no problem. I will have killed you both by then, but still…"

 _No!_ Lucifer resists the urge to roll his eyes at Castiel's plea as he slowly unfolds the Hand of God's protective cloth. He considers knocking the angel out; the cries and pleas are getting on his nerves. But by then he would miss out on the fun of letting him witness the Winchester's deaths, first Sam, and then his precious Dean. Sam's would be quick; he actually likes the kid. But his brother's will be slow, agonizing. He resists laughing at the thought as he grasps the precious artifact in his hands, ready for it to unleash its power.

And is more than surprise to find the object completely useless.

The last thing he remembers before being banished from the bunker is Castiel's heartfelt prayer: _Thank God._

XXX

Dean sits alone on the pier, watching as his brother makes his slow retreat to the waiting Impala. His brother's words taunt him. _Cas may not come back willingly. He chose it._

"No," Dean echoes the very words he told Sam minutes ago, the little confidence he had then disappearing. There is no way Cas would chose this. Not when he knows the risks.

 _He's done it before. The Leviathan, Naomi. His track record hasn't always been the greatest._

"But he was only doing what he thought was best." Dean sighs, tapping one foot against the cement block he sits in, the Hand of God still clutched in his hands. For a moment, he considers tossing it into the harbour, even closes his eyes and imagines that piece of useless shit sinking beneath the waves. For all the good it did them. Now the only purpose it serves is to remind him of Cas… no, of that _thing_ wearing him. Dean sighs, his fingers tracing the rough texture of the wood, his thoughts once more returning to his friend. There is no way that he did this willingly. There must have been some coercion on Lucifer's part. He'll do exactly what he told Sam he was going to do: find the devil, trap him, and save Cas. He _has_ to. Because to think of him choosing to willingly remain possessed to that piece of shit is unimaginable.

Slowly Dean rises, tucking the Hand of God back in his coat pocket. With a heavy heart he returns to the Impala, where Sam is already waiting. Without a word he climbs behind the wheel; the old car roars to life, and the Winchesters drive off into the sunset, just like they always do. Only this time, the happy ending seems to be nowhere in sight.

"


End file.
